釋氏稽古略 3.203

3.203

Tianwang Monastery west of Jingnan city: Chan Master Daowu. Qiu Xuansu, Grand Master for Closing Court, Vice Minister of Revenue, Joint Manager of Affairs with the Secretariat-Chancellery, and Military Commissioner of Jingnan under the Tang, composed the Master's stele inscription, which states: 'Daowu was a native of Zhugong, surnamed Cui, a descendant of Ziyu. At the age of fifteen, he left home under Vinaya Master Tanzhu of Changsha Monastery. At twenty-three, he went to Mount Song to receive the precepts. At thirty, he studied under Shitou; although he was favored with instructions, his mind did not yet tally. Next he paid homage to National Preceptor Zhong. At thirty-four, he returned south with Yingzhen, the National Preceptor's attendant, to pay homage to Mazu. Mazu said: "Recognize that your own mind is originally Buddha; it does not belong to gradual stages, nor does it rely on cultivation. Its substance is naturally suchlike, endowed with all myriad virtues." The Master attained great awakening at these words. Mazu instructed him, saying: "Go and serve as abbot; do not depart from your former place." Having received this instruction, the Master immediately returned to Jingmen. Not far from the outer wall, he tied thatch to make a hut. Later, the Military Commissioner inquired of his attendants about the situation, and then went in person to visit. Seeing that the road was narrow and impassable for horses and carriages, and overgrown with wild brambles that had never been cleared, he became angry and ordered men to throw the Master into the flowing waters. The flags and banners turned back, but when he reached his residence, a fire broke out that no one could approach. A voice in the sky said: "I am the heavenly king deity! I am the heavenly king deity!" The Military Commissioner apologized, bowed, and prostrated; the smoke and flames instantly subsided. He hurried to the riverside, saw the Master at the water's edge, and repeated his repentance. He invited him into the government office to make offerings, and built a monastery to the west of the prefecture, with the placard inscribed "Tianwang" (Heavenly King). The Master was accustomed to exclaiming, "How joyful! How joyful!" When he was about to enter quiescence, he called out, "Pain, pain! King Yama has come to fetch me!" The monastery director said: "When the Venerable was thrown into the water by the Military Commissioner, your expression did not change. How can you be like this now?" The Master raised his pillow and said: "Do you say that time was right, or is this time right?" The monastery director had no reply. The Master threw down the pillow and passed away. This occurred on the thirteenth day of the tenth month of the fifth year of the Yuanhe era. He lived eighty-two years, with sixty-three summer retreats. He had one dharma heir: Chongxin' (see Record of the Compendium of the Five Lamps).